Isaac Asimov - Foundation: The Psychohistorians

Pros: Gripping plot, start of a legendary sci-fi epic...
Cons: ... episodic, little characterisation

Foundation is a landmark in science fiction history by one of the all-time giants of the genre, Isaac Asimov. Though this novel in itself is perhaps not an all-time great, the series the it is the beginning of most certainly is. ...

Pros: A brilliant study of politics and Machiavellian people management in a futuristic setting.
Cons: Individual chapters are actually short stories that lack compelling connectedness through the whole novel.

By the end of the thirteenth millennium, mankind had populated millions of planets scattered throughout the galaxy. The centre of the imperial government was located on the planet Trantor, in effect a single planetary city some 75,000,000 square miles in ...

Pros: A Foundation of science-fiction.
Cons: Asimov's notoriously shallow characters and dialogue.

Asimov’s Foundation series was given a Hugo award for Greatest Science-Fiction/Fantasy Series of all time back 1966. It was awarded over Tolkien’s Lord of The Rings and was too premature to include Herbert’s Dune series or...

Pros: Easy to understand, but thought-provoking. A classic of Golden Age Science Fiction.
Cons: Characterization was not the young Asimov's strongest area, but he had a sense of humor.

The original Foundation Trilogy is a collection of short pieces of fiction which Isaac Asimov wrote for magazine publication back in the 1940s. The central concept which he invented (apparently with the help of editor John W. Campbell, Jr.) has been...

Pros: Interesting, thought provoking, gripping, intelligent
Cons: Not for those new to Sci-Fi

This book is the first one in a series of three (the so called Foundation Trilogy) and it is also part of the Foundation series (seven books). The Foundation Trilogy and the Foundation series are often regarded as the greatest set of Science Fiction ...

Pros: Great Plot, Great Dialogs, Good Characterization
Cons: Starts slightly slow and too much details of psychohistory

Introduction I was introduced to the world of Science Fiction through a novel by the name of "I, Robot". Starting that day I became an avid fan of Isaac Asimov and to this day all his novels hold a strange kind of intrigue and hold on me. Isaac As ...

Pros: beautifully written and engaging story, well rounded characters, thought provoking storyline
Cons: none

~~~~~A bit of background~~~~~ This book is undoubtedly one of the masterworks of science fiction, but before I can even begin to explain why to you, first I feel I should give a brief introduction to the author in order to offer some insight. Isaac ...

Pros: Goes beyond simple sci-fi plotline
Cons: Yeah, the character thing, but it was necessary for Asimov's format

My father has been talking about the Foundation trilogy since I was a baby; in fact, it is from him that I inherited my love of science fiction. So doesn't it seem strange that I didn't sit down to read the first book until I was 26? As if,...

Pros: Absorbing story, not dependent on its series.
Cons: Relatively short novel.

Two Foundations were established at opposite ends of the known galaxy. The First Foundation, on the planet Terminus, laboured to produce the Encyclopedia Galactica - preserving all known scientific knowledge for future generations - while remaining in...

Pros: Quick-moving and efficient plot, poignant social commentary, excellent story line
Cons: Characters can get slightly confusing, sometimes forcing a reader to look backwards

A vast and powerful empire that is slowly yet utterly collapsing ... a man who will change the course of history for the entire universe after his death ... a mighty struggle between the forces of knowledge and those of barbarism, decay, and...

Pros: A collection of short stories, perfect plot, unconventional methods
Cons: Makes you feel stupid, ends, not enough publicity, a tad choppy

For me, it is impossible to imagine a Science Fiction book, that has not in some way taken something from Isaac Asimov. His Three Laws of Robotics are considered to be a standard for modern robotics, though they were introduced in fiction. He is known as...

Pros: Brilliantly written, plot, everything else
Cons: None that I can think of

I am not much of a reader, but when my older brother told me I should read more, he suggested that I read Foundation. It is comprised of four books: Foundation, Foundation & Empire, Second Foundation, and Foundation's Edge. Each book connects well...

Pros: The start of a large future history
Cons: Older writing style is sparse on characterizations

"Foundation", by Isaac Asimov, sets the stage for what is to become the grandest design in the history of SF: not only does it start off its own series, but it will be subsumed into a larger future history consisting of the majority of...

Pros: Just the beginning of a magnificent series. Amazingly detailed plot and highly original
Cons: Can get a bit cerebral. Could be difficult to get into for some.

Years ago as a teenager I found this book jammed in the back of my dad's book cabinet, long forgotten. The picture of a spaceship on the cover attracted me and I decided to read it. I am very glad I did, although I did not get quite what I was...

Pros: Great reading, many hours of enjoyment
Cons: None

This book alone is responsible for my love of the science fiction genre. Before I read this when I was 9, I had not had much exposure to areas outside what you find in school reading and mystery stories, like the Hardy Boys or Great Brain. When someone...